Leadership
WHAT IS THE AXIS LEADERSHIP TEAM?
The Axis Leadership Team is a group of senior high students who have a passion for
Jesus Christ, and seeing themselves as well as their peers grow. This core group is
voluntary in participation, but it does have accountability through commitment. The
sole purpose for Axis is to build an accountability group that will lead through
discipleship, faithfulness, and relationships.
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Philippians 1:27
The Axis member of the leadership team need not be a great speaker or organizer.
Instead, he/she should be a person who, by the power of his/her own Christian
example, motivates others to a relationship of dedication to Jesus Christ. He/She
should be a model of Christian living that awakens a responsive desire in others to
follow. (A leader moves people by example, not by position.) The leader should be
someone who has a faith that is living and growing.
2. HAVE GODLY CHARACTER: 2 Corinthians 3:5-6
Having a good reputation around the church community as well as outside the
church setting is a must–the reputation of being an honest and caring person who
is above reproach.
3. BE UNDERSTANDING AND ENCOURAGING: Hebrews 10:19-25
Without this understanding, communication becomes almost impossible. We have
to be able to accept people where they are and for who they are.
4. LOVES SERVING OTHERS: John 13:12-17
Probably one of the most predominant thoughts in the minds of youth today is
simply, “Do you like me? Am I OK?” We must ask ourselves if we really love those
whom God has called us to shepherd.
5. BE PATIENT: James 1:19-23
Our peers don’t always respond the way we think they should. Our authority, at
times, is not respected as much by the youth as we feel it should be. To work together,
we must have patience. We must accept people where they are and help to bring
them to where they ought to be (discipled student).
7. POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR: Philippians 4:8
We have a specific philosophy of Student Ministry at Temple Baptist Church. The
leaders must read it and be in full agreement with what it says. There are two ways
to view a cookie jar: “half-empty” or “half-full.” We would prefer to have leaders
on the AXIS leadership team who look beyond the faults and inconsistencies of
adolescents (half-empty) to see the big picture of who they are and what they can
become (half-full). Youth need friends who will laugh with them at their mistakes
and who will let them know they are loved even when they mess up.
8. CARRY YOUR CROSS DAILY: Matthew 16:24-28
To be frank, we don’t want Axis leaders who are too busy or too involved with
other ministries to devote the amount of time that is needed to impact our youth.
Remember: 90% of effective discipleship is relationship. The actual amount of
time required will vary a great deal from person to person.
